Driving module and motion assistance apparatus including the same

ABSTRACT

A driving module including a driving source configured to generate power, a gear train including a decelerating gear set configured to receive driving power from the driving source and a ring gear attached to one side thereof, and a rotary joint including at least one planetary gear configured to rotate using power received from an output end of the decelerating gear set and to revolve along the ring gear is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 14/796,583, filed on Jul. 10, 2015, which claims the prioritybenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0002072, filed on Jan.7, 2015, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contentsof each of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Example embodiments relate to a driving module and/or a motionassistance apparatus including the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Biped walking may aid a human in performing various daily activities byfreeing the hands of the human during walking. When experiencingdifficulties in such significant walking, a human body may be exposed toa number of issues. For example, a decrease in muscular strength mayrestrict physical activities and cause a reduction in muscle mass,energy consumption, and metabolism.

Walking assistance robots/walking assistance devices are being developedto aid those people having difficulties in walking to be able to walkwith less difficulty. Such robots/devices may be worn on/attached to alower body of a user to intensify muscular strength and alleviate aburden by weight during walking or standing on a level ground, a slope,or stairs.

In general, the robots/devices may have a structure to assist motions ofjoints of a lower body, for example, hip joints, knee joints, and anklejoints using an actuator. In the past, such robots/devices weredeveloped to assist walking/intensify muscular strength of a patient.However, recently, the robots/devices are being developed to improvewalking abilities for military purposes, manufacturing purposes, andgeneral walking assistance purposes.

For example, to transmit a force and a torque generated by the actuatorto joints of a user, a wearable portion acting as an interface betweenjoints of the user and the device may be provided to be attached to orto enclose a body of the user. When driving power is transmitted in adirection in which a joint portion of the device connected to thewearable portion matches a moving direction of the joint of the user,the force and the torque may be applied appropriately without causinginconvenience. A driving source may include a motor and a decelerator,and may be disposed at a position corresponding to an axis of rotationof the joint of the user. The wearable portion may be provided in a formof a belt or a band so that a frame connected to the driving source maybe attached to a leg portion of the user. Such a structure may be anexternal skeleton structure in which the driving source and the wearableportion are relatively thick, and may be worn over clothing to beexposed to an outside.

SUMMARY

Some example embodiments relate to a driving module.

In some example embodiments, the driving module may include a drivingsource configured to generate power, a gear train including adecelerating gear set configured to rotate using power received from thedriving source, a joint aligning ring rotatably inserted into one sideof the gear train, a rotary joint attached to the joint aligning ring,and configured to rotate using power received from the gear train, and ajoint bearing disposed between the joint aligning ring and the rotaryjoint, and attached to the gear train.

The gear train may further include a first frame and a second frameconfigured to cover the decelerating gear set, and axes of rotation ofgears included in the decelerating gear set may be formed as an integralbody on at least one of the first frame and the second frame.

The decelerating gear set may include a base gear configured to act asan output end of the decelerating gear set, and at least one spur gearengaged between the driving source and the base gear.

One of the first frame and the second frame may include a cover portionconfigured to cover the at least one spur gear, and an edge portionconnected to the cover portion, and on an outside of which the jointaligning ring is disposed.

The gear train may further include a ring gear attached to an inner sideof the edge portion. The rotary joint may include at least one planetarygear engaged with the ring gear, and an axis of rotation of theplanetary gear, and the axis of rotation of the planetary gear may beformed as an integral body on the rotary joint.

The base gear may include two gears having different diameters, and asmall-diameter gear between the two gears of the base gear may beengaged with the planetary gear.

The planetary gear may include two gears having different diameters, anda large-diameter gear between the two gears of the planetary gear may beengaged with the small-diameter gear between the two gears of the basegear.

The gear train may further include a receiving protrusion including agroove configured to receive an axis of rotation of the rotary joint, afirst bearing disposed between an inner wall of the groove and the axisof rotation of the rotary joint, and a second bearing disposed betweenan outer side of the receiving protrusion and an inner side of the basegear.

The rotary joint may include a rotation axis groove formed along acircumference of an axis of rotation of the rotary joint, and a thirdbearing disposed between a cylindrical end portion protruding from thebase gear and an inner wall of the rotation axis groove.

The decelerating gear set may include an input gear connected to a shaftof the driving source, an idle gear engaged with the input gear, and abase gear engaged with the idle gear. Diameters of the input gear, theidle gear, and the base gear may increase sequentially in an order ofpower transmission.

The joint bearing may be configured to support at least one of an innerside of a contour of the joint aligning ring and an inner side of acontour of the rotary joint.

Other example embodiments relate to a driving module.

In some example embodiments, the driving module may include a drivingsource configured to generate power, a gear train including adecelerating gear set configured to receive driving power from thedriving source, and a ring gear attached to one side thereof, and arotary joint including at least one planetary gear configured to rotateusing power received from an output end of the decelerating gear set,and to revolve along the ring gear.

An axis of rotation of the at least one planetary gear may be formed asan integral body on the rotary joint.

The decelerating gear set may include a base gear configured to act asthe output end. The base gear may include two gears having differentdiameters, and a small-diameter gear between the two gears may beengaged with the planetary gear.

The gear train may include a joint aligning ring fastened to the rotaryjoint, and the driving module may further include a joint bearingattached to one side of the gear train, and configured to prevent aseparation of the joint aligning ring from the gear train.

The joint bearing may be a thin section bearing configured to reduce atorsion of the rotary joint.

Other example embodiments relate to a motion assistance apparatus.

In some example embodiments, the motion assistance apparatus may includea fixing module configured to be attached to a user, a driving moduleincluding a driving source disposed on one side of the fixing module, agear train configured to receive driving power from the driving source,and a rotary joint including at least one planetary gear connected to anoutput end of the gear train, and a supporting module configured tosupport a portion of a body of the user, and to be driven by the drivingmodule.

An axis of rotation of the at least one planetary gear may be formed asan integral body on an inner side of the rotary joint.

The driving source may be attached to the gear train, and the rotaryjoint may be configured to relatively rotate with respect to the geartrain using the driving power.

The driving source may be detachable from the gear train, and the geartrain may be detachable from the rotary joint.

Additional aspects of example embodiments will be set forth in part inthe description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of example embodiments, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a motion assistance apparatus according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a driving module according to exampleembodiments;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a driving module according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the driving module of FIG. 3,viewed from another angle;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a driving module according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the driving module of FIG. 5,viewed from another angle;

FIG. 7 is a partial exploded view of a driving module according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the driving module ofFIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a driving module according toexample embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a driving moduleaccording to example embodiments;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating an operation of a planetary gearaccording to example embodiments; and

FIGS. 12A and 12B are views illustrating an operation of a rotary jointaccording to example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, some example embodiments will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings. Regarding the reference numeralsassigned to the elements in the drawings, it should be noted that likeelements will be designated by like reference numerals, whereverpossible, even though they are shown in different drawings. Also, in thedescription of the example embodiments, detailed description ofwell-known related structures or functions will be omitted.

It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit thisdisclosure to the particular example embodiments disclosed. On thecontrary, the example embodiments are to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of exampleembodiments.

In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the likemay be used herein to describe components. Each of these terminologiesis not used to define an essence, order or sequence of a correspondingcomponent but is used merely to distinguish the corresponding componentfrom other component(s). It should be noted that if it is described inthe specification that one component is “connected”, “coupled”, or“joined” to another component, a third component may be “connected”,“coupled”, and “joined” between the first and second components,although the first component may be directly connected, coupled orjoined to the second component.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexample embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As usedherein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,”“comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specifythe presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, thefunctions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures.For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executedsubstantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

Various example embodiments will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodimentsare shown. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions areexaggerated for clarity.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a motion assistance apparatus 1 according toexample embodiments, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drivingmodule 100 according to example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the motion assistance apparatus 1 may be worn by auser to assist a motion of the user.

The user may be, for example, a human, an animal, or a robot. However,example embodiments are not limited thereto. Although FIG. 1 illustratesa case in which the motion assistance apparatus 1 assists a motion of athigh of the user, the motion assistance apparatus 1 may assist a motionof another part of an upper body, for example, a hand, an upper arm, anda lower arm of the user, or a motion of another part of a lower body,for example, a foot, and a calf of the user. Thus, the motion assistanceapparatus 1 may assist a motion of a part of the user.

The motion assistance apparatus 1 may include a fixing module 30, asupporting module 40, the driving module 100, and a controller 20configured to control the driving module 100.

The driving module 100 may include a driving source 110 disposed on oneside of the fixing module 30, a gear train 120 configured to receivedriving power from the driving source 110, and a rotary joint 150including at least one planetary gear connected to an output end of thegear train 120. A connecting member 160 may be connected to the rotaryjoint 150. An insertion member 140 to be inserted into a supportingframe 46 may be connected to the connecting member 160.

The driving module 100 may be disposed on a hip joint to drive a jointportion of the motion assistance apparatus 1. Two driving modules 100may be disposed on left and right hip joints to assist rotary motions ofthe left and right hip joints, respectively.

The driving module 100 will be described in detail later.

The fixing module 30 may be attached to the user. The fixing module 30may be in contact with at least a portion of an outer surface of theuser, and may be provided to cover the outer surface of the user. Thefixing module 30 may include a curved surface to be in contact with theuser. For example, the fixing module 30 may be attached to one or moresides of a waist of the user.

The supporting module 40 may include the supporting frame 46. Thesupporting frame 46 coupled to the connecting member 160 may rotate in adirection in which the connecting member 160 is rotated by the drivingmodule 100. The supporting module 40 may further include a pressurizingmember 48 connected from the supporting frame 46, and a supportingmember 49.

The pressurizing member 48 may be connected to one or more sides of thesupporting frame 46. For example, the pressurizing member 48 may bedisposed on one side of a leg of the user to pull or push a thigh of theuser. The pressurizing member 48 may be disposed on a front surface ofthe thigh of the user.

The supporting member 49 may be connected to one side of thepressurizing member 48. For example, the supporting member 49 may bedisposed to cover a circumference of at least a portion of the thigh ofthe user, thereby preventing a separation of the thigh of the user fromthe supporting frame 44. The supporting member 49 may be disposed on anopposite side of the pressurizing member 48 from the thigh of the user.

A torque generated by the driving module 100 may be transmitted to thesupporting module 40 through the connecting member 160. The torquetransmitted through the supporting module 40 may be used to lift thethigh of the user through the pressurizing member 48, thereby assistinga motion of the user.

The controller 20 may include a processor and a memory (not shown).

The memory may be any device capable of storing data including magneticstorage, flash storage, etc. The processor may be any device capable ofprocessing data including, for example, a microprocessor configured tocarry out specific operations by performing arithmetical, logical, andinput/output operations based on input data, or capable of executinginstructions included in computer readable code stored in the memory.The processor may be a logic chip, for example, a central processingunit (CPU), a controller, or an application-specific integrated circuit(ASIC), that when, executing the instructions stored in the memory,configures the processor as a special purpose machine to control thedriving module 100.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the driving module 100according to example embodiments, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspectiveview of the driving module 100 of FIG. 3, viewed from another angle. Indetail, FIG. 3 illustrates the driving module 100 viewed from the rotaryjoint 150, and FIG. 4 illustrates the driving module 100 viewed from thedriving source 110.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the driving module 100according to example embodiments, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspectiveview of the driving module 100 of FIG. 5, viewed from another angle. Indetail, FIG. 5 illustrates the driving module 100 viewed from the rotaryjoint 150, and FIG. 6 illustrates the driving module 100 viewed from thedriving source 110.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the driving module 100 may include thedriving source 110 configured to generate power, the gear train 120configured to receive driving power from the driving source 110, a jointaligning ring 131 rotatably inserted into one side of the gear train120, the rotary joint 150 attached to the joint aligning ring 131 andconfigured to rotate using power received from the gear train 120, and ajoint bearing 132 disposed between the joint aligning ring 131 and therotary joint 150 and attached to the gear train 120.

The driving source 110 may generate power to be used to drive the rotaryjoint 150. The driving source 110 may be disposed, for example, in aspace between a thigh and a hip of the user. The driving source 110 maybe, for example, an electric motor. However, the type of the drivingsource 110 is not limited thereto.

The gear train 120 may be driven using power received from the drivingsource 110. The gear train 120 may include a decelerating gear setincluding gears 122, 123, and 124, a ring gear 125 attached to one sidethereof, and a first frame 121 and a second frame 126 configured tocover the decelerating gear set.

The decelerating gear set may decrease a rotation velocity of a rotarymotion transmitted from the driving module 100 and generate a relativelygreat torque. The decelerating gear set may include, for example, spurgears or helical gears. A gear acting as an output end of thedecelerating gear set may be referred to as the base gear 124. The basegear 124 may include two gears having different diameters. Asmall-diameter gear between the two gears of the base gear 125 may actas a sun gear to be engaged with a planetary gear 152.

Axes of rotation of the plurality of gears 122, 123, and 124 in thedecelerating gear set may be formed as an integral body on the firstframe 121. By providing the axes of rotation of the gears 122, 123, and124 constituting the decelerating gear set as an integral body on thefirst frame 121, additional components and spaces to be used to fix theaxes of rotation of the gears 122, 123, and 124 to the first frame 121may be unnecessary. Thus, a size of the gear train 120 may be minimized.

The first frame 121 may be provided in a shape of a thin plate in whicha small-sized circle, a medium-sized circle overlapping a portion of thesmall-sized circle, and a large-sized circle overlapping a portion ofthe medium-sized circle are arranged sequentially, based on a shape ofthe decelerating gear set.

The driving source 110 may be connected to one surface of the firstframe 121, and the second frame 126 having substantially the samecontour as the first frame 121 may be connected to an opposite surfaceof the first frame 121. Bolt holes may be provided along the contours ofthe first frame 121 and the second frame 126 to couple the first frame121 and the second frame 126.

The second frame 126 may include a cover portion 1261 configured tocover at least one gear in the decelerating gear set, and an edgeportion 1262 connected to the cover portion 1261 and on an outside ofwhich the joint aligning ring 131 is disposed. The cover portion 1261and the edge portion 1262 may be formed as an integrated single frame.

The ring gear 125 may be attached to an inner side of the edge portion1262. The edge portion 1262 may be disposed along a circumference of ahollow having a size that may expose teeth of the ring gear 125protruding toward a center of the circumference. The planetary gear 152may penetrate through the hollow and be engaged with the ring gear 125.

The joint bearing 132 may be disposed on an outer side of the edgeportion 1262. The joint bearing 132 may have a large diameter sufficientto firmly support a rotary cover 151 of the rotary joint 150. The jointbearing 132 may be attached to the second frame 126 to prevent aseparation of the joint aligning ring 131. The joint bearing 132 maysupport at least one of an inner side of a contour of the joint aligningring 131 and an inner side of a contour of the rotary joint 150. A thinsection bearing may be used as the joint bearing 132.

The joint aligning ring 131 to be attached to the rotary joint 150 maybe disposed between the second frame 126 and the joint bearing 132. Thejoint aligning ring 131 may rotate between the second frame 126 and thejoint bearing 132. The joint aligning ring 131 may be inserted into aportion protruding from the second frame 126 toward the rotary joint150. For example, a portion protruding toward a circumference of thejoint aligning ring 131 and a portion protruding toward an outer side ofthe rotary cover 151 may be coupled using an adhesive or bolts.

The rotary joint 150 may rotate using power received from the output endof the gear train 120. The rotary joint 150 may be rotatably connectedto the gear train 120 using the joint aligning ring 131. A shape of thecontour of the rotary joint 150 may have a size corresponding to thelarge-sized circle of the first frame 121. The rotary joint 150 may bemodularized to be detachable from the gear train 120. The rotary joint150 may include the rotary cover 151 configured to cover the hollow ofthe edge portion 1262, the at least one planetary gear 152, and a thirdbearing 153.

The rotary cover 151 may be a shaft-integrated frame in which an axis ofrotation of the at least one planetary gear 152 is configured as anintegral body. The rotary cover 151 may include a joint connection linkconfigured to rotatably connect the connecting member 160 to the rotaryjoint 150.

The axis of rotation of the at least one planetary gear 152 may beformed as an integral body with the rotary cover 151, similar to thefirst frame 121 of the gear train 120.

Hereinafter, descriptions will be provided based on an order of powertransmission.

A torque generated by the driving source 110 of the gear train 120 maybe transmitted to the input gear 122, also referred to as a drivinggear, of the decelerating gear set, and transmitted to the planetarygear 152 through the idle gear 123 and the base gear 124.

The input gear 122 may be connected directly to an axis of rotation ofthe driving source 110, or connected to the axis of rotation of thedriving source 110 through coupling. The idle gear 123 may be engagedwith the input gear 122, and the base gear 124 may be engaged with theidle gear 123. Diameters of the input gear 122, the idle gear 123, andthe base gear 124 may increase sequentially in the order of powertransmission. The base gear 124 may act as an output end of thedecelerating gear set.

The base gear 124 may include two gears 1241 and 1244 having differentdiameters, including a large-diameter gear 1241 and a small-diametergear 1244. The small-diameter gear 1244 of the base gear 124 may beengaged with the planetary gear 152. The small-diameter gear 1244 mayalso be referred to as a sun gear. The large-diameter gear 1241 of thebase gear 124 may be engaged with the idle gear 123.

A cylinder 1242 may be located between the large-diameter gear 1241 andthe small-diameter gear 1244. The small-diameter gear 1244 may move fromthe large-diameter gear 1241 to the central axis of the base gear 124 tobroaden the gap therebetween. The height of the cylinder 1242 isselected up to the point which the small-diameter gear 1244 and theplanetary gear 152 are engaged. A diameter of the cylinder 1242 may besmaller than the diameter of large-diameter gear 1241 and larger thanthe diameter of a small-diameter gear 1244.

The base gear 124 may be a compound gear. The base gear 124 may be anintegrated gear sharing a common axis with the small-diameter gear 1244protruding from the large-diameter gear 1241. The small-diameter gear1244 may act as a sun gear in a relationship with the planetary gear152.

A final torque generated by the driving source 110 and to be transmittedto an output end may be transmitted to the small-diameter gear 1244protruding from the base gear 124.

The torque transmitted to the small-diameter gear 1244 may betransmitted to three planetary gears 152. When the planetary gears 152rotate along an inner circumference of the ring gear 125 attached to thesecond frame 126, the planetary gears 152 may simultaneously rotatewhile being engaged with the ring gear 125 and revolve on an axis ofrotation 1511 of the rotary joint 150.

Axes of rotation of the planetary gears 152 may be fixed, and the rotarycover 151 of the rotary joint 150 may rotate on the axis of rotation1511 of the rotary joint 150. Thus, the entire rotary joint 150 mayrotate in a forward or backward direction.

The gear train 120 may include a receiving protrusion 129 including agroove 130 configured to receive the axis of rotation 1511 of the rotaryjoint 150, a first bearing 127 disposed between an inner wall of thegroove 130 and the axis of rotation 1511 of the rotary joint 150, and asecond bearing 128 disposed between an outer side of the receivingprotrusion 129 and an inner side of the base gear 124.

The rotary joint 150 may include the rotary cover 151, a rotation axisgroove 1512 formed on a circumference of the axis of rotation 1511 ofthe rotary cover 151, and the third bearing 153 disposed between acylindrical end portion 1243 protruding from the base gear 124 and aninner wall of the rotation axis groove 1512. Axes of rotation 1513 ofthe at least one planetary gear 152 may be formed as an integral body onthe rotary cover 151.

FIG. 7 is a partial exploded view of the driving module 100 according toexample embodiments, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view ofthe driving module 100 of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view ofthe driving module 100 according to example embodiments, and FIG. 10 isa cross-sectional perspective view of the driving module 100 accordingto example embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 7 through 10, the first frame 121 may include thereceiving protrusion 129 including the groove 130 configured to receivethe axis of rotation 1511 of the rotary joint 150. The first bearing 127may be provided between an inner wall of the groove 130 and an outerwall of the axis of rotation 1511 of the rotary joint 150.

The second bearing 128 may be provided between the base gear 124 and thefirst frame 121 to assist a rotation of the base gear 124.

The rotation axis groove 1512 may be formed on a circumference of theaxis of rotation 1511 of the rotary cover 151, and the third bearing 153may be provided between an outer wall of the cylindrical end portion1243 protruding from the base gear 124 and an inner wall of the rotationaxis groove 1512.

The rotary joint 150 including the rotary cover 151 provided in a formof a shaft-integrated frame may be supported by the joint bearing 132. Athin section bearing having an extremely large diameter may be used forthe joint bearing 132. In this example, a stiffness with respect to atorsion of the rotary cover 151 may increase.

Both ends of the base gear 124 disposed at a center of the gear train120 may be supported by the rotary cover 151 and the first frame 121. Indetail, one end of the base gear 124 may be supported by the thirdbearing 153 and an axis of rotation of the rotary cover 151 in a form ofa shaft-integrated frame constituting the rotary joint 150. The otherend of the base gear 124 may be supported by the first bearing 127 andthe first frame 121 in a form of a shaft-integrated frame of the geartrain 120.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating an operation of the planetary gear 152according to example embodiments.

Structures of the base gear 124, the ring gear 125, and the planetarygear 152 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 11.

The planetary gear 152 may include a large-diameter gear 1521 and asmall-diameter gear 1522, and the large-diameter gear 1521 may beengaged with the small-diameter gear 1244 of the base gear 124. Thesmall-diameter gear 1522 may be engaged with the ring gear 125.

By a torque generated by the driving source 110, the small-diameter gear1244 of the base gear 124 may be engaged with the small-diameter gear1522 of the planetary gear 152 to generate a rotation, and the ring gear125 may be engaged with the large-diameter gear 1521 of the planetarygear 152 to restrict a rotation.

Thus, the plurality of planetary gears 152 may revolve along acircumference formed by the plurality of planetary gears 152. Since theaxes of rotation of the planetary gears 152 may be integrated on therotary cover 151, the rotary cover 151 may rotate on a center of thecircumference formed by the plurality of planetary gears 152.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are views illustrating an operation of the rotaryjoint 150 according to example embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, the driving source 110 may be attachedto the gear train 120, and the rotary joint 150 may relatively rotatewith respect to the gear train 120 using driving power. Based on arotation direction of the rotary joint 150, the connecting member 160connected to the rotary joint 150 may rotate in a forward or backwarddirection.

In the modularized structure, the driving source 110 may be detachablefrom the gear train 120, and the gear train 120 may be detachable fromthe rotary joint 150.

A number of example embodiments have been described above. Nevertheless,it should be understood that various modifications may be made to theseexample embodiments. For example, suitable results may be achieved ifthe described techniques are performed in a different order and/or ifcomponents in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit arecombined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by othercomponents or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations arewithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A driving module comprising: a driving sourceconfigured to generate power; a gear train including a decelerating gearset configured to rotate in response to the power received from thedriving source; a joint aligning ring, one side of the gear trainconfigured to receive the joint aligning ring such that the jointaligning ring is rotatable therein; a rotary joint attached to the jointaligning ring, the rotary joint configured to rotate using the powerreceived from the gear train; and a joint bearing between the jointaligning ring and the rotary joint, the joint bearing configured toattach to the gear train.
 2. The driving device of claim 1, wherein thegear train further comprises: a first frame and a second frameconfigured to cover the decelerating gear set, wherein gears included inthe decelerating gear set have axes of rotation that are an integralbody on at least one of the first frame and the second frame.
 3. Thedriving device of claim 2, wherein the decelerating gear set comprises:a base gear configured to act as an output end of the decelerating gearset; and at least one spur gear engaged between the driving source andthe base gear.
 4. The driving device of claim 3, wherein one of thefirst frame and the second frame has at least two portions including, acover portion configured to cover the at least one spur gear; and anedge portion connected to the cover portion, the edge portion having thejoint aligning ring on an outside thereof.
 5. The driving device ofclaim 4, wherein the gear train further includes a ring gear attached toan inner side of the edge portion, the rotary joint includes at leastone planetary gear configured to engage with the ring gear, and an axisof rotation of the planetary gear, and the axis of rotation of theplanetary gear is an integral body on the rotary joint.
 6. The drivingdevice of claim 5, wherein the base gear comprises: two sub-base gearshaving different diameters, and wherein a small-diameter gear of the twosub-base gears is configured to engage with the planetary gear.
 7. Thedriving device of claim 6, wherein the planetary gear comprises: twosub-planetary gears having different diameters, and wherein alarge-diameter gear of the two sub-planetary gears is configured toengage with the small-diameter gear.
 8. The driving device of claim 6,wherein the gear train further comprises: a receiving protrusionincluding a groove configured to receive an axis of rotation of therotary joint; a first bearing between an inner wall of the groove andthe axis of rotation of the rotary joint; and a second bearing betweenan outer side of the receiving protrusion and an inner side of the basegear.
 9. The driving device of claim 6, wherein the rotary jointcomprises: a rotation axis groove along a circumference of an axis ofrotation of the rotary joint; and a third bearing between a cylindricalend portion protruding from the base gear and an inner wall of therotation axis groove.
 10. The driving device of claim 1, wherein thedecelerating gear set comprises: an input gear configured to connect toa shaft of the driving source; an idle gear configured to engage withthe input gear; and a base gear configured to engage with the idle gear,and wherein diameters of the input gear, the idle gear, and the basegear increase sequentially in an order of power transmission from thedriving source to the rotary joint.
 11. The driving device of claim 1,wherein the joint bearing is configured to support at least one of aninner side of a contour of the joint aligning ring and an inner side ofa contour of the rotary joint.
 12. A driving device comprising: adriving source configured to generate power; a gear train including adecelerating gear set, a frame and a ring gear, the decelerating gearset configured to receive driving power from the driving source, theframe surrounding the deceleration gear set, and the ring gear attachedto one side of the frame; and a rotary joint including at least oneplanetary gear, the at least one planetary gear configured to, rotateusing power received from an output end of the decelerating gear set,and revolve along the ring gear.
 13. The driving device of claim 12,wherein the at least one planetary gear is configured to rotate about anaxis of rotation of the at least one planetary gear, the axis ofrotation of the at least one planetary gear being an integral body onthe rotary joint.
 14. The driving device of claim 12, wherein thedecelerating gear set comprises: a base gear configured to act as theoutput end, the base gear including two base gears having differentdiameters, and a small-diameter gear of the two base gears is configuredto engage with the planetary gear.
 15. The driving device of claim 12,wherein the gear train further includes a joint aligning ring configuredto fasten to the rotary joint, and the driving device further includes ajoint bearing attached to one side of the gear train, the joint bearingconfigured to prevent a separation of the joint aligning ring from thegear train.
 16. The driving device of claim 15, wherein the jointbearing is a thin section bearing configured to reduce a torsion of therotary joint.
 17. A motion assistance apparatus comprising: a fixingdevice configured to be attached to a user; a driving device, thedriving device including, a driving source on one side of the fixingdevice, a gear train including an input end and an output end, the inputend configured to receive driving power from the driving source, and arotary joint including at least one planetary gear connected to theoutput end of the gear train; and a supporting device configured tosupport a portion of a body of the user, and to move in response to thedriving power.
 18. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 17, whereinthe at least one planetary gear is configured to rotate about an axis ofrotation of the at least one planetary gear, axis of rotation of the atleast one planetary gear being an integral body on an inner side of therotary joint.
 19. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 17, whereinthe driving source is configured to attach to the gear train, and therotary joint is configured to relatively rotate with respect to the geartrain using the driving power.
 20. The motion assistance apparatus ofclaim 17, wherein the driving source is configured to detach from thegear train, and the gear train is configured to detach from the rotaryjoint.